Divided House
Romans 12:9-18 NKJV
Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.
I would take the time and go and read that Precious Scripture again before moving forward.
What happened?
How have we as a Body of Christ become so separated?
Where was the wedge that got placed in between us all and split God’s Saints!
So many have been hurt and torn down, some have walked away from the Faith all together.
Does it have to be that way?
There are seven churches in the Book of Revelation.
Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.
These 7 Churches are to be a representation of His Goodness, Mercy, Love and Grace.
All of the 7 Churches had been commanded to go and Preach the Gospel.
Along the line, somewhere during the journey, they lost focus.
They had taken their eyes and gaze off of the teachings of God’s Holy Word and have done some very harmful things.
We have misled, misguided and misinformed.
We have turned a deaf ear and a blind eye.
We have watched others struggle. We have rebuked in the name of God.
We have torn down and not built up.
We have taken the Light of the World and put it under a bushel.
We have failed.
I’m not talking about the Ministry.
I believe there is a movement of God in these last days that is about to happen that would impress even the Apostles!
I’m talking about the Church of God!
The Actual Bride of Christ!
Born again. Washed in the Blood of Jesus Christ. Filled with the Holy Spirit.
God fearing and God obeying. Bible believing, the ones that Read the Word of God and try to the best of their ability to live it. Those that see the evil in the World and pray for the Lord to come back.
Those on a mission to bring the Word of Truth.
We have abandoned each other.
We have left our brothers and sisters in Christ to fend for themselves.
Did not Jesus send all two by two for a reason and purpose.
So if one falls the other is there to pick up. When one is weak the other is there to bear the load. To protect one another from the fowler, the snare!
Being a Follower of Christ is hard enough.
Being a Follower of Jesus Christ in this society, and any other society before, is dangerous.
What has gone wrong.
Ephesus abandoned their first Love.
Smyrna endured trials, tribulation and testing.
Pergamum tolerated false teachings and sexual immorality.
Thyatira tolerated “Jezebel”.
Sardis looked alive on the outside, but were DEAD inside! Dead because of their lack of obedience to the Lord.
Philadelphia kept the Word of God. They didn’t deny His name. They even received a Crown. They have God’s protection and an open door to minister His Holy Word.
Laodicea was lukewarm and the Lord was ready to spit them out of His mouth!
They couldn’t stop being worldly. They didn’t have a desire to be Holy.
Which Church are you?
Filter yourselves by these Churches.
Check you heart.
Which Church are you?
Don’t be so quick to say Philadelphia.
We all want to be the Church of Philadelphia! We want the glory and the Crown!
Most of us are like every other Church that gets rebuked from the Lord!
Good, let Him rebuke and correct us.
The main component that is missing from the other Churches in the Book of Revelation is love. That is the only thing that separated The Church of Philadelphia from the rest, love.
Why?
Because love conquers all!
So where is yours!
I understand that my views are different from most Christians. I know that there are things that I don’t agree with.
There are things I won’t participate in and won’t accept. Especially if I believe that it goes against God’s Authoritative Word.
I definitely know that some do not agree with me. I have been slandered talked about.
And you know what,
That’s OK!
When these things come to my attention I do my best to not allow it to offend my pride!
Because that is what it comes down to, pride!
I believe that the Lord has given each of us all different convictions of the heart.
Your convictions are different from mine.
It doesn’t mean mine are better or worse, it means they are different!
Who am I to turn a brother or a sister away because of my foolish pride!
For me personally, as long it is in accordance with the Written Word of God through His Holy Scripture, then who am I.
I am then nothing but a coworker for the Kingdom of God.
In My Bible there is a Title for Romans 12 starting in verse 9.
It’s in big red letters.
It says;
BEHAVE LIKE A CHRISTIAN.
We have no problem behaving like a Christian to the unchurched. It is EASY to go and show the one that don’t know Jesus Christ and His Salvation our Christian behavior.
But it’s different when it comes to brothers and sister in Christ.
We are called to love without hypocrisy.
We must stop pretending to be something we are not!
We are called to honor one another.
We are called to respect each other.
When was the last time you went out and just gave a brother or sister in Christ honor?
Giving instead of receiving. Treating them like they are a Child of God!
Giving preference above yourself to those that labor with you.
What has happened to God’s Church!
We have spent more precious time tearing each other down and wasting time. Imagine how many souls for the Kingdom of God could have been snatched from clutches of death!
Or is that not your focus?
Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.
Read these Scriptures over and over and over again. Then read them again until it is seared into your heart.
Then repent to the Lord for making a mockery of His Church and misrepresenting Him because of our lack of love for one another!
No wonder Satan has been able to penetrate into the doors of God’s Holy House! How can we show the love of Christ to the world if we can’t even show it to each other!
The Devil sits back and laughs.
Jesus intended His Church to be the force that ushers the broken lost heart to the Peace of His Salvation. To prepare the World for His second coming.
But we have left our first Love.
We have been lukewarm.
We have lived like the world to fit in to try and be the Light of the Word.
We have tolerated, been disobedient.
We have treated each other very badly.
Haven’t you read that judgment starts in the House of the Lord?
I urge you today.
I pray today.
I beg you today for the Glory of God!
Love one another. Forgive one another.
Honor one another.
Then strength together in the Love, Mercy and Grace that was shown to you!
Jesus said this
Matthew 16:18-19 NKJV
[18] And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. [19] And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
Maybe we should start binding love and forgiveness for each other so that what Jesus said here is true!
Hate has to stop first in the House of the Lord before we can be effective to a hateful and hurting world. Live together as God has called us to live.
Pastor Ed
Churchgoers Increasingly Prefer a Congregation That Shares Their Politics
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